DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Nov. 10, 2024) – Powered by three Mavericks recording double-digit kills and a match-high 38 assists and nine digs from sophomore Adriana Rivera Rodriguez (Humacao, Puerto Rico/American International College), the Mercy University volleyball team earned a 3-0 (25-14, 25-21, 25-21) win over ECC foe D'Youville University on Sunday afternoon at the Neil Judge Student Athlete Center.
The Mavericks (14-8, 7-3 ECC) have won five of their last six matches and earn a split of the season series with the Saints (10-15, 6-5 ECC).
Mercy was led by freshman Grace Dilena (New York, N.Y./Liberty University Online Academy) who had a match-high 13 kills on .364 hitting with seven digs. Graduate student Julia Pomerleau (Portland, Maine/University of Southern Maine) had 12 kills on .647 hitting with five blocks and junior Gabriela Bieniek (Rzeszow, Poland/Indian Hills CC) had 11 kills and a match-high five aces. Rivera Rodriguez had a match-high 38 assists and nine digs with three blocks and three kills and sophomore Mia Illes-Hair (Lake Worth, Fla./Palm Beach Central) finished with seven kills. Senior Aitza Cruz (Vega Alta, Puerto Rico/Polk State College) had eight digs and junior Samantha Cooney (Nyack, N.Y./Nyack) had four digs.
D'Youville was led by Cameron Ulinski who had a team-high 12 kills.
Mercy took a 6-2 lead in set one after a Bieniek kill. The Saints scored the next two points to make it 6-4 before the Mavericks went on a 6-1 run to take a 12-5 lead after a Dilena kill. D'Youville ensued with a 5-2 run to make it 14-10 before Mercy responded with an 8-1 run to take a 22-11 lead after a Cooney ace. The Saints later made it 24-14 before a Dilena kill gave Mercy the opening set, 25-14.
D'Youville held a 5-4 lead in set two before Mercy went on a 6-2 run to take a 10-7 lead. The Saints quickly answered with a 10-4 run to take a 17-14 lead. D'Youville held a 21-19 lead before Mercy ended the set with six straight points to take the set, 25-21, after a Bieniek kill.
The Saints built a 6-2 lead in set three before Mercy scored four consecutive points to tie the set at 6-6 after a Pomerleau kill. D'Youville retook the lead at 18-13 before the Mavericks scored eight unanswered points to take a 21-18 lead after a Bieniek ace. A Dilena kill later gave Mercy a 24-20 lead before a Ulinski kill made it 24-21. Rivera Rodriguez capped off the match with a kill to give the Mavericks the 25-21 set three win and the match in three sets.
Mercy hit .309 with 46 kills, 36 digs, eight blocks and seven aces. D'Youville hit .183 with 31 kills, 27 digs, five blocks and four aces.
Head Coach Ana Todorovic and the Mavericks resume action on Wednesday when they play at Molloy at 7 p.m.
